Shoe, in particular sports shoe, and method for producing a shoe

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a shoe ( 1 ), especially a sport shoe, with a sole ( 2 ) and a shoe upper ( 3 ) which is connected with the sole ( 2 ). To obtain a specific light shoe the invention proposes that the sole ( 2 ) comprises: a base body ( 12 ) in accordance with form of the sole ( 2 ), wherein the base body ( 12 ) comprises a plurality of reinforcement fibers ( 13 ), which are integrated into a plastic or resin matrix ( 14 ) and a plurality of outer sole elements ( 15 ), wherein the outer sole elements ( 15 ) are fixed material-bonded at the base body ( 12 ). Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the manufacturing of a shoe.

The invention relates to a shoe, especially to a sport shoe, with a sole and a shoe upper which is connected with the sole.

Shoes of this usual kind need to be especially light for certain application cases. This applies particularly for a sport shoe. Correspondent applies as well mainly for a soccer shoe, on which high requirements are demanded on the solidity and rigidity to guarantee the functionality of the shoe, as well as to the weight, which should be regularly as low as possible.

Therefore, multifaceted concepts have been established by which it is tried, to reduce the weight of the shoe as much as possible by maintenance of a sufficient rigidity.

Also it is an object of the invention, to develop a shoe, especially a sport shoe, of the kind mentioned above, in such a way, that it comprises in fact a sufficient rigidity on the one hand and thus guarantees the required functionality, that it also has a special light composition on the other hand.

The solution of this object by the invention is characterized in that the sole comprises:

-   -   at least a base body in accordance with form of the sole,         wherein the at least one base body comprises a plurality of         reinforcement fibers, which are integrated into a plastic or         resin matrix and     -   a plurality of outer sole elements, wherein the outer sole         elements are fixed material-bonded at the at least one base         body.

The material-bonded connection between the at least one base body and the outer sole elements is preferably established by vulcanization.

The outer sole elements consist preferably of rubber material.

The at least one base body can comprise recesses for the outer sole elements, wherein the recesses correspond to the form of the outer sole elements.

The reinforcement fibers are preferably carbon fibers. They can he embedded into an epoxy resin matrix.

The reinforcement fibers can be thereby at least partly interwoven with each other.

The shoe is preferably free of a midsole. However, it is preferably provided, that above the base body an inner sole is arranged, wherein this inner sole is especially preferred to he glued in.

A further development proposes that the base body consists of at least two parts, which are connected with another by a rubber layer which is vulcanized at both parts.

The method of manufacturing for the sole is characterized in the following steps:

-   -   a) Manufacturing of at least one base body which corresponds to         the form of the sole, wherein the at least one base body is         built with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, which         reinforcement fibers are integrated into a plastic or resin         matrix;     -   b) Arranging of a plurality of outer sole elements at the at         least one base body;     -   c) Manufacturing of a material-bonded connection between the at         least one base body and the outer sole elements by performance         of a vulcanization process.

The proposed shoe upper comprises:

-   -   a texture structure which consists of texture yarns, wherein the         texture structure is formed as a three-dimensional structure         which has a plurality upper locations and a plurality bottom         locations, and     -   a cover layer,         wherein the cover layer is connected at least with a part of the         upper locations of the texture structure.

The connection of the cover layer is preferably produced by welding, especially by high-frequency or ultrasonic welding, of the material of the texture structure with the material of the cover layer.

The texture structure comprises preferably a plurality of hill-shaped or hump-shaped raisings, wherein the upper regions of the hill-shaped or hump-shaped raisings comprise or form the upper locations. The hill-shaped or hump-shaped raisings can be arranged in two perpendicular directions and parallel to another. They can be formed by 7 to 15 texture yarns running parallel to another, wherein those, are preferably interweaved or hooked into another.

The texture yarns consist preferably of polyethyleneterephthalate or of polyamide or of polyester. The cover layer consists however preferably of a Thermoplastic elastomere (TPE), particularly of Thermoplastic elastomere on the basis of urethane (TPU).

According to a further development a second cover layer is arranged, which is connected with the bottom location of the texture structure.

The proposed method for the manufacturing of the material for the shoe upper is characterized by the steps:

-   -   a) Supply of a texture structure, wherein the texture structure         is fabricated of texture yarns and wherein the texture structure         will be formed as a three-dimensional structure, which comprises         a plurality of upper locations and a plurality of bottom         locations;     -   b) Arranging of a cover layer on the texture structure, so that         at least partially contact exists between the upper locations         and the texture structure and the cover layer;     -   c) Connecting of at least a part of the upper locations of the         texture structure with the cover layer by a welding process.

The welding process is preferably a high-frequency welding process or an ultrasonic sound welding process.

The suggested conception intercepts thus at the manufacturing of the leg material for the shoe upper on a three dimensional formed texture structure, preferably with a plurality of humps. On this structure a plane length (foil) will he laid on, preferably of TPU. Using a heat-producing element (e. g. high frequency electrode or ultrasonic sound electrode) the foil will he welded with the hump tops. Accordingly, the foil will be connected punctually with the texture structure.

This composite will be used as an upper material for sport shoes, particularly for soccer shoes.

The advantage is a very good ventilation of the shoe, because the three-dimensional formed texture structure is very good air guiding, because it creates a canal structure for this purpose. The material doesn't absorb any water. It is very light, therefore also the shoe is “super light”, which shoe is manufactured from this upper material. Reinforcement materials in the upper material are redundant.

Concerning the suggested sole structure it applies, that the sole structure can also be applied for soccer shoes in a special advantageous way, because the sole base plate has a high rigidity—particularly formed as carbon fiber plate. The preformed rubber elements, which function as outer sole, have a strong connection with the base plate because they are vulcanized.

The preformed rubber elements are inserted into a vulcanization form at the manufacturing of the sole, as well as the base plate (base body). After that the connecting process occurs by vulcanization. It is also possible that several parts form the base body; those parts are then inserted into the mould in a positioned manner and connected with rubber material.

The base plate is preferably a plate, which comprises interweaved carbon fibers, which carbon fibers are integrated into a plastic or resin matrix (e. g. into an epoxy resin).

At a soccer shoe the manufactured sole, which is manufactured in such a way, can be used without a midsole. It comes to a beneficial distribution of pressure due to the high rigidity of the base plate. The construction is very light. This enables again a “super light” shoe.

It is especially advantageous, when the suggested upper material of the shoe upper and the suggested sole are combined. Then the result is a special light shoe with high rigidity.

In the drawing an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. It shows:

FIG. 1 a shoe in the lateral view,

FIG. 2 a perspective view of a texture structure, which is a component of the material of the shoe upper,

FIG. 3 the depiction of the composition of the texture structure according to FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 a sectional view through the material of the shoe upper according to the section A-B according to FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 a schematic exploded view of the sole of the suggested shoe, which shows the components of the sole,

FIG. 6 schematically the enhancement “Z” according to FIG. 5, which shows the composition of a base plate of the sole of the shoe,

FIG. 7 the top view of the bottom side of a sole according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, wherein the sole is performed here with an number of cleat elements as outer sole elements,

FIG. 8 the section C-D according to FIG. 7 and

FIG. 9 the section E-F according to FIG. 7.

In FIG. 1 a shoe 1 is shown, which comprises in a known way a sole 2, on which sole a shoe upper 3 is arranged. For the connection of the sole 2 with the shoe upper 3 there are multiple pre-known possibilities, on which possibilities it is not necessary to respond to here.

The material of the shoe upper 3, i. e. the leg material, is built in a special way. This results from FIG. 2 to FIG. 4.

The base structure of the upper material is a texture structure 4, as it is shown in FIG. 2. Here, only a small section of the texture structure 4 is visible, that is to say a section, which comprises one single hill-shaped or hump-shaped raising 10.

The depicted texture structure 4 is composed by texture yarns 5, which texture yarns are interweaved and hooked respectively into each other. In FIG. 3 a preferred linkage of the texture yarns 5 is shown. You can say, that the texture yarns 5 extend substantially in two directions, which directions x and y are perpendicular to another. In doing so the texture yarns 5 however don't compose a flat structure but a three-dimensional form, as it is to see in FIG. 2.

As it results of FIG. 3, the texture yarns 5 are hooked into each other by a weaving process in such a way, that a grid-formed surface occur. The grid dimension b (s. FIG. 2) lies typically in the area of 0.5 to 2 mm.

The raisings 10 which are shown in FIG. 2 are arranged parallel to each other in a plurality, i. e. parallel to each other into the direction x and into the direction y. The size of the structure. for the described example case is specified through a grate dimension a, wherein a lies typically in the area between 5 to 20 mm, preferably at 8 to 12 mm. A texture yarn is preferably applied, whose diameter lies in the area between 0.03 to 0.1 mm.

Through the three-dimensional embodiment of the texture structure 4 it occurs an upper location 6 as well as bottom locations 7 per raising, as it is visible in the synopsis of the FIGS. 2 and 3. The upper material now will be composed thereby, that a cover layer 8 will be put on the upper side of the texture structure 4, which. cover layer consists of a thin, flat layer in the embodiment.

Accordingly, the cover layer 8 contacts the texture structure 4 only punctual, i. e. the cover layer 8 butts only against the upper location 6 of the texture structure 4. It is schematically shown in FIG. 4, that henceforth an entry of welding energy 17 occurs after the placement of the cover layer 8, e. g. by an ultrasonic sound welding device or by a high-frequency welding device, so that it comes to a fusing of the material of the texture structure 4 and the material of the cover layer 8. This is indicated in FIG. 4 by the connection 9 in form of a welding spot.

In an analog way it can be preceded on the bottom side of the texture structure. A second cover layer 11 can be applied—as it is to see in FIG. 4—, which second cover layer can be fixed by welding spots in the same way.

Hereby it is a result of a very stable and still very light material structure for the use as leg material for the shoe upper.

In FIG. 5 it can be seen, how the suggested appropriated sole 2 of the shoe I is conceived of. The sole 2 consists of a base body 12, whose composition results schematically out of FIG. 6. Accordingly, reinforcement fibers 13, particularly carbon fibers, are interweaved with another, integrated into a plastic matrix or resin matrix 14, which consist preferably of epoxy resin. Thus, a very strong and elastic structure for the base body 12 results.

Already at the forming of the base body 12, when indicated also later by mechanical machining, recesses 16 will be brought into the base body 12, from which base body the bottom side is visible in FIG. 5. The form of the recesses 16 corresponds to the form of outer sole elements 15 of rubber material, which form the outer sole of the shoe 1 in their entirety.

The outer sole elements 15 will be inserted into the recesses 16 after the manufacturing of the base body 12; the depth of the recesses 16 is therefore smaller than the height of the outer sole elements 15, so that the outer sole elements 15 protrude towards down after the insertion into the recesses 16 and can therefore realize their function as outer sole.

A firm connection between the base body 12 and the outer sole elements 15 will be reached by a vulcanization process, which process will be accomplished in an accordant vulcanization form after the placement of the outer sole elements 15 in the base body 12.

In the FIGS. 7 to 9 an alternative embodiment of a sole 2 according to the invention can be seen.

In general it also applies here, that the sole consists of a base body 12, on which base body outer sole elements 15 are fixed. The outer sole elements 15 are formed here however as cleats 15′, which cleats are fixed on the base body 12. The sectional view according to FIG. 8 (section C-D according to FIG. 7) shows, that—as already demonstrated before—the material of the outer sole element in form of the cleat 15′ is directly injected respectively vulcanized on the base body 12 of the sole. As can be seen in FIG. 8, the base body 12 has been deformed a little hit out of the flat form in the area of the reception of the cleat 15′ in accordant to the negative form, so that the form of the base body 12 occurs, as it is demonstrated in FIG. 8. The material of the cleat 15′ is injected and vulcanized respectively on the formed raising. There is no mechanical connection existing between base body 12 and cleat 15′. Particularly, the base body 12 exhibits no recess in the area of the reception of the cleat 15′. Accordingly, a continuous layer of the fiber-reinforced material of the base body 12 exists.

Another specific design of the embodiment according to FIG. 7 is, that the base body 12 is formed here not as one single continuous plate, but consists of two parts 12′ and 12″. Both parts 12′, 12″ can be inserted in a positioned manner into a tool during the production; then, rubber material will be put across in such a way, that the parts 12′, 12″ the base body will be connected by the rubber material. In FIG. 7 a rubber ridge 20 is visible, by which the parts 12′ and 12″ are connected with each other elastically. In doing so a flexible, hinge-like connection can be established between the parts 12′, 12″, which connection serves as flex zone and a flex groove respectively between the parts 12′, 12″. Thus, the rubber material serves as a functional is element in the area of the rubber ridge 20, which intercepts the structure of the base body 12 and which makes the fiber-reinforced plates flexible to each other in a defined way.

As can be seen from the section E-F according to FIG. 9, the rubber material contacts the parts 12′, 12″ at one side as a rubber layer. In the edge area the rubber material can be conducted as circumferential edge 19 (circumferential rubber lip).

An alternative method of production intercepts on that, that the material of the base body 12 will be inserted into a tool in a condition of not finally solidified state, to inject the material of the outer sole element, but rather that the material of the base body 12 (particularly the carbon fiber material) will be brought into the tool, just as the pre-fabricated outer sole elements and cleats 15, 15′ respectively.

Then, during the vulcanization process the material of the base body 12 will be brought in its final usable condition, at the same time the rubber material will be connected with the material of the base body 12.

LIST OF REFERENCES

-   1 Shoe -   2 Sole -   3 Shoe upper -   4 Texture structure -   5 Texture yarn -   6 Upper location -   7 Bottom location -   8 Cover layer -   9 Connection (welding) -   10 Hill-shaped or hump-shaped raising -   11 Second cover layer -   12 Base body -   12′ First part of the base body -   12″ Second part of the base body -   13 Reinforcement fiber -   14 Plastic matrix/resin matrix -   15 Outer sole element -   15′ Cleat -   16 Recess -   17 Entry of welding energy -   18 Rubber layer -   19 Circumferential edge -   20 Rubber ridge -   x Direction -   y Direction -   a Grate dimension -   b Grid dimension 

1.-10. (canceled)
 11. Shoe, especially sport shoe, with a sole and a shoe upper which is connected with the sole, wherein the sole comprises: at least one base body in accordance with form of the sole, wherein the at least one base body comprises a plurality of reinforcement fibers, which are integrated into a plastic or resin matrix and a plurality of outer sole elements, wherein the outer sole elements are fixed material-bonded at the base body, characterized in that the at least one base body comprises recesses for the outer sole elements, wherein the recesses correspond to the form of the outer sole elements, wherein the outer sole elements consist of rubber material, wherein the material-bonded connection between the at least one base body and the outer sole elements is established by vulcanization, wherein the shoe is free of a midsole and wherein above the at least one base body an inner sole is glued in.
 12. Shoe according to claim 11, characterized in that the reinforcement fibers are carbon fibers, wherein the reinforcement fibers are preferably embedded into an epoxy resin matrix.
 13. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcement fibers are at least partly interwoven with each other.
 14. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the base body consists of at least two parts, which are connected with another by a rubber layer which is vulcanized at both parts. 